After Aransas City was abandoned, the Shellcrete Immigrants
focused on two other locations. One being St. Joseph’s Island.
The other was St. Mary’s that sprang up 2 miles north of Black
Point (Black Point = Bayside), which was the development of
Joseph F. Smith, who was the nephew of Henry Smith, who’d
been the partner of James Power. (Henry Smith also had a sonin-law named George W. Fulton, who would soon be making
his mark in the world - such was the magnitude of the close
friends of James Power.)
And though there were plenty of power struggles during this
time (1830-1870), ultimately, the canvas and pallet were set for
the formation of something new and dynamic - the emergence
of the Rockport and Fulton communities.
“...I will remove all the cannon
and other munitions of war to
Gonzales and Copano, blow
up the Alamo and abandon the
place...”
- General Sam Houston - Texas Revolution -
LORE: Power and Byrne had played important roles during
the Texas Revolution that helped extend their influence, and
they fared better than many. Refugio, by comparison, was devastated by the conflict.
LEGEND: Jean Lafitte buried a massive amount
of his Pirated Treasure (Jewelry, Spanish Doubloons,
the works) under a Live Oak Tree, somewhere south
of Rockport.
An Anonymous Protrait of Jean
Lafitte from the early 1800’s.
LORE: Lafitte was no stranger
85
to Copano Bay, where tradition
has it, he kept two of his Pirate
Ships well hidden.